The invention disclosed herein is related to the packaging of articles to facilitate shipment and use of such articles. In the illustrated embodiment, the packaging assembly is described in connection with packaging for concrete test cylinder molds. A test cylinder mold is a hollow cylindrical container including a bottom wall which is used to test specimens of concrete at a construction site. Such molds are generally disposable. For illustration herein, such molds in one form are 12" long include a 6" inner diameter.
Initially, such molds were made of paperboard with metal bottoms and packaged twenty-four per carton. Such a carton was approximately 25" long, 19" wide and 25" high. Packaging was from the top and consisted of two layers of twelve molds. Such a carton size was selected as it corresponded to size of trucks and rail cars and also provided the package with multiples of four. In fact, usage of the cylinder molds is typically in units of four, thus packaging should retain this criteria.
Subsequently, paperboard molds were replaced by plastic molds similar in size and using the standard packaging arrangement discussed above.
Another consideration in the packaging of articles is the cost of shipment thereof. Often, it is desirable in shipping smaller quantities to ship by services such as United Parcel Service (UPS). UPS at one time maintained a requirement of maximum 108" of girth and height combined. Consequently, the old packaging was modified to a twenty pack which was end loaded and had outside dimensions of 123/4" wide, 251/2" long and 311/2" high. Such a carton satisfied the UPS requirements and also provided a package which could be carried in the trunk of a car, unlike the twenty-four pack discussed above. Further, such an arrangement allowed packaging in multiples of four.
More recently, UPS has changed its specifications to allow a maximum 130" of girth and height combined, while charging for a minimum of twenty-five pounds on any package over 84" girth and height combined In view of these requirements, it is desirable to have a packaging arrangement which is within the size requirements, while also being as close as possible to the weight requirements in order to save on shipping costs. However, such requirements should be balanced with the desire to provide a packaging arrangement which is easy to handle in the field, such as allowing a user to carry the packaging in one's trunk.
The present invention is intended to overcome one or more of the problems set forth above.